Earring with means for lightly gripping the lobe,including means to frictionally contact the ear rear wall



Aug. 5, 1969 B. E. WHATLEY 3,459,007

' EARRING WITH MEANS FOR LIGHTLY GRIPPING THE LUBE, INCLUDING MEANS TO FRICTIONALLY CONTACT THE EAR REAR WALL Filed Aug. 51. 4 2. 5v

FIG. FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,459,007 EARRING WITH MEANS FOR LIGHTLY GRIPPING THE LOBE, INCLUDING MEANS T0 FRICTION- ALLY CONTACT THE EAR REAR WALL Blanche E. Whatley, 1218 NW. 26th, Portland, Oreg. 97210 Filed Aug. 31, 1965, Ser. No. 483,937

Int. Cl. A44c- 7/00 US. Cl. 63--14 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An earring clip has a U-shaped socket portion one side of which supports an ornament, the other side having an inwardly curved portion leading into an outwardly curved portion which leads into an inwardly curved upper end portion. The contour of the clip is such that the clip when fitted on the ear is disposed diagonally thereof with the socket portion bottom being located closely adjacent the juncture of the ear lobe with the head and with the inwardly and outwardly curved portions of the clip lying in contoured relation against the rear surface of the lobe and ear wall.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an earring clip.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an earring clip having structure facilitating a novel connection to the ear.

Another object is to provide an earring clip which has a positive attachment to the ear but which at the same time produces a minimum of discomfort when worn or in the process of attaching it to and removing it from the car.

A more particular object is to provide an earring clip which employs a resilient clip constructed and arranged to gently compress the lobe of the ear and engage other portions of the ear to provide a frictional attachment.

Briefly stated, the present earring clip comprises a re silient body member attached at one of its ends to an earring ornament and contoured to fit around the bottom portion of the ear lobe and upwardly in contoured relation in novel engagement with other portions of the ear. The invention will be better understood and additional objects Will become apparent from the following specifica tion and claims, considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the present earring clip as applied to an ear;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the earring clip also as applied to an ear;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the earring clip apart from the ear;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

For purposes of illustration and with reference particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the numeral refers to the lobe of the ear, the numeral 12 refers to the tragus or prominence in front of the external concavity of the ear, the numeral 14 refers to the antitragus or rearward prominence at the external concavity of the ear, the numeral 16 refers to the concha or large concavity, the numeral 18 refers to the lower narrow opening of the large concavity, the numeral 20 refers to the outwardly projecting ear wall which defines the bottom, rear and top of the concavity 16, FIGURE 2, and the numeral 22 designates the lowermost point of juncture of the lobe 10 with the head.

3,459,007 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 "ice The present earring clip comprises a body member 24 preferably constructed of narrow strip material. Ornamental means shown in the form of earring ornament 26 is secured to one end of the body member 24, such securement being accomplished in any suitable manner as by welding the ornament 26 and the one end of the body member 24 together. The ornament 26 may be of any configuration but preferably at least the rear surface thereof is of convex configuration.

The general contour of the body member 24 will now be described, such contour being best shown in the side elevational view of FIGURE 3. The body member has a lower U-shaped portion 30 and the side thereof opposite from the ornamental supporting side extends from the U-portion upwardly above the top of the ornament mounting end. The side of the body member opposite from the ornament supporting side has securing means which includes three portions, an inwardly gently curved first portion 32 leading into an outwardly gently curved second portion 34 thereabove in turn leading into an inwardly gently curved upper end third portion 36. As apparent in FIGURE 3, the curved portion 32 cooperates with the other end of the body member to form a socket 38 at the lower end of the body member having a restricted opening 40. Of course the convexed surface 28 of the ornament 26 causes a broadening of the socket 38 at the lower end thereof.

It is preferred that the body member 24 be constructed of a springy or resilient type material such as spring metal or spring plastic in order that it may be flexed slightly when being mounted on the ear or removed therefrom but otherwise to compress gently certain portions of the ear to obtain a frictional grip thereon. In addition to comprising a springy material, it is desired that the body member 24 be capable of being reshaped or bent somewhat to accommodate ears of different shape and the thicknesses. That is, while it is desired that the body member 24 be constructed of resilient material so that it will return to its original shape after slight distortion, it is also desired that it be capable of reshaping merely by bending it beyond its normal limits of flexibilty.

The contour of the body member 24 is such as to fit the lobe of the car at the juncture 22 of said ear with the head. Thus, the earring clip is installed on the bottom end of the ear lobe 10 by moving the upright portion of the body member 24 up the lobe behind hte ear while maintaining the ornament portion in front of the ear. The earring clip is moved upwardly an amount sufficient to bring the U-shaped bottom portion 30 into abutment with the lower end of the lobe 10, and in a preferred mounting the U-shaped portion is swung inwardly and is disposed closely adjacent the juncture 22 of the lobe 10 with the head.

As best apparent in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 the lobe 10, in the mounted condition of the earring clip, is confined in the socket 38 and the restricted opening 40 of the socket compresses the lobe a slight amount to obtain a frictional grip thereon. The outwardly curved portion 34 and the inwardly curved portion 36 of the body member, as seen in FIGURE 2, fit the rear contour of the ear. More specifically, the curved portion 34, which forms the restricted opening 40, compresses slightly the lobe of the car, as does the portion 32, and the curved portion 36 corresponds to the shape of the rear surface of the ear Wall 20 and thus lies thereagainst. Therefore, the clip engages the lobe of the ear in a slight frictional fit throughout most of its length and an upper portion thereof is contoured to fit the rear contour of the ear wall 20. The upper portion 36 of the body member not only adds to the frictional hold of the device on the ear but also in its contoured engagement with the back of the ear steadies the earring against rotative or shifting movement.

The present earring clip is easily installed on the ear merely by pressing it up over the bottom edge of the lobe 10. There is no harsh spring clamping engagement with the ear lobe and there is a minimum of discomfort to the wearer either while the earring is being worn or during the time that it is being attached to or detached from the ear. Since it is clear that the thickness of the lobes from one person to another will vary, the body member may be bent to form the desired width socket opening 40. It has been found that the convexed surface 28 on the earring ornament 26, as opposed to a fiat or concaved surface, makes it easier to apply the earring clip over the bottom edge of the lobe 10 since there are no edges that can catch on the lobe.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arragement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An earring clip comprising:

(a) a body member,

(b) said body member having a U-shaped lower portion arranged to extend around a lower portion of the ear lobe closely adjacent to the juncture of the lobe with the head,

() said body member having a terminal end at one side of said U-shaped portion arranged to extend along the front surface of the lobe,

(d) said terminal end including ornamental means,

(e) the body member on the other side of the U-shaped portion including securing means for lightly gripping the ear lobe and for fitting and frictionally contacting the rear contour of the ear wall, said means comprising an inwardly gently curved first portion forming with said terminal end a restricted opening to compress lightly on opposite sides of an ear lobe,

(f) an outwardly gently curved second portion on said body member leading from said inwardly curved portion,

(g) and an inwardly gently curved third portion leading from said outwardly curved second portion,

(h) said body member being arranged to extend diagonally of the ear with the said outwardly curved third portion conforming to the contour of the back surface of the ear.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,106,388 8/1914 Juergens 63-43 X 2,389,295 11/1945 Chernow. 2,629,989 3/ 1953 McDonald.

FOREIGN PATENTS 23,401 9/1900 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application No. B26,569, Ma 24, 1956, Bauer.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner 

